Probably, the most used tool in hiring decisions is a personal interview, and it is hard to imagine someone making a hiring decision without interviewing candidates, and today, no one has come up with a better substitute for the personal interview. A personal interview should get answers to these fundamental questions. Number one, can this person do the job? Number two, how motivated is the person? Number three, will they work to their fullest ability? Number four, what are the person's goals? Number five, will this job help the person to fulfill those goals? There are two kinds of interviews, and both are used in the business world. The first is called a structured interview, and this is a highly standardized interview where all job candidates are asked the same exact questions, and their responses are recorded, usually with the interviewer taking notes. The other approach is the complete opposite, where the interviewer tries to take a passive approach, asking very few questions and letting the interviewee do most of the talking. The advantages of the structured interview, is that the interviewer has an easier job of comparing and rating candidates, sinceeveryone was asked the same questions. Also, many sales managers aren't experts in interviewing, and don't really know the right questions to ask. The advantages of the unstructured interview, is that facts and issues may come to light, because the interviewee is encouraged to speak freely. The downside, is that a lot of irrelevant information may get unearthed, and this information may be difficult to compare and evaluate. There are all kinds of interviews, face-to-face interviews are perhaps the most common. Increasingly, companies are using telephone and online resources, like Skype, to conduct interviews. Sometimes, phone interviews and or Skype, are used as an initial screening device, and a smaller number of candidates advanced to face-to-face interviews. There are some best practices for interviews. Perhaps, the most important is having multiple interviews. In general, you should not depend on a single interview with a single person and a single place. The more time you or others spend with a candidate, the better chances you have to get to know the person and their capabilities. It is also important to have some kind of standardized rating form that should be used after each interview. Finally, be mindful that your first impression of a candidate may be based on gut reaction and is highly subjective. Try to keep an open mind throughout the interview.
